My 89 y/o dad's esophageal cancer is back.

[DemoTex]

He had an esophagectomy in 2003. In 2007 a lung lobe was removed with the same cancer. This current cancer was identified by a surgical biopsy yesterday. The new cancer was spotted by my brother, a radiologist who works in the same hospital as dad's surgeon, three weeks ago.

Dad spent two nights in Atlanta with my brother during all this. He was hell-bent to get back home (Griffin, GA) today to plant his vegetable garden (ALWAYS the best in town!) and to pick up his new utility trailer at Lowe's so that he can haul his riding mower to his farm and mow around the pavilion at the lake.

The man is amazing. He acts as if he could care less that his cancer is back. He is tough. He was captured by the Germans in North Africa near the Kasserine Pass (and escaped when a Spitfire strafed their column of POWs) and shot by the Germans in one of the hill battles in Italy. He was one of the first US Army officers to walk through the gates of Dachau as the war ended. He returned, married, earned a PhD in entomology (was a professor at UofGA), and raised five hellions .. every one of which got a college degree (plus one MD).

Next week: the oncologist. Believe it or not, the surgeon thinks he is up to chemo. We shall see.

Damn, I love that old man!


Nick at Dad's lake last year

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

1. So sorry. Sounds like a gem.

I'll keep him in my prayers if that's okay by you.

David

[lamp_shade]

2. Ohhhh.... he does sound like an amazing man. I'll say a prayer.

[sufrommich]

3. Your Dad sounds like a very special man and you sound

like a very special son. I hope all goes well with his battle with cancer and his garden.

[imdjh]

4. Hugs to you from a stranger

You've been lucky to have your dad for 19 years longer than I had mine, but I had mine for 20 years longer than he had his. You and I have been pretty fortunate in the bigger picture.

[leftyclimber]

5. I'll keep him in my thoughts, DemoTex.

Sounds like you've got one helluva dad. All the best to him.

[Mike 03]

6. You and your father are in my thoughts. He sounds like a tough guy.

I'm sorry you both have to go through this. Cancer sucks, but if anyone can beat it, it sounds like your dad can.

Best to both of you!

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. When you are 89 the important thing is to do what you love.

Sounds like that is exactly what he intends to do.

Good for him.

[Raine]

8. Sending you and your father

positive thoughts and a big :hug:

[Barack_America]

9. I'm so sorry. And I adopted a dog from Griffin, GA!

That lake looks great. What a property.

I'll be thinking of your father, who seems like a true national treasure.

[DemoTex]

10. Damn, a Griffin dog? How did that happen?

I do know that their "dog pound" has been in the news. And it is not good news. If you got a mutt from Griffin, it might be a descendant of my great childhood dog, Herman (un-neutered and sexually wild!). Herman died while I was in Viet Nam.

[Barack_America]

16. Found him on the pound's website...

Adopted him by fax and drove down to pick him up.

He's a little red spaniel thing. Too cute to resist.

Here he is:

[DemoTex]

22. Drove down from Philly?

God bless your dog-lovin' soul! Too much! What's his name?

BTW, my joke about Griffin is stolen from the British writer Tom Sharpe: "Half as big as a New York cemetery, and twice as dead!"

[Barack_America]

24. Indeed we did.

His name is Fergus (Fergie). We decided a dog that red needed a proper Scottish name.

And, lol, that's a good joke. :thumbsup:

[DemBones DemBones]

11. I recall your dad's previous history

so good for him that he's kept on going. I will pray for him to keep on keeping on.


Now, tell me, did you super-glue that dog's butt to the dock?

[DemoTex]

14. Yep. You remember my month's vigil at his bedside in 2003. Thanks!

Super-glue? Naw! Nick-Nick just loves looking at water. He is one cool Outer Hebrides Hairly-Headed Hunting hound.

[DemBones DemBones]

27. And he was a mere 82-83 back then!

I wondered what kind of dog Nick was. He looks like a Lab from the neck down and it would be hard for any Lab to keep his or her butt on a dock next to a lake. We lost our old Lab, a great swimmer and retriever, last fall, still trying to decide whether to get another Lab or something smaller.

[emilyg]

12. Prayers for him.

[applegrove]

13. So sorry to hear that.

[Faygo Kid]

15. Thank him for all of us at DU for his service. And tell him we guys want his life.

Life means we all say goodbye. Tell your Dad, whatever happens (and all the best), that congratulations on the life he has led so far. Tell him my Mom (who died in 2003) was the first woman in the U.S. to win the War Production Board award, and Eleanor Roosevelt flew in to personally present it to her in Detroit (1943). Bet the two of them would have gotten along.

Tell your Dad that his life has mattered, and he sounds like somebody I would like to fish with, or at least curse at a ball game with.

Great post. Thanks.

[DemoTex]

18. He taught me fly-fishing decades ago and he loves them Braves.

Seriously, he looks and acts about 75 .. max! He is from a family of 10 kids, and most live to be 95-100!

[seabeyond]

17. ya, i love your old man too.

nifty story about him. thanks for sharing. a ownderful way to honor the man

[blaze]

19. Raising a glass

to planting that vegetable garden!!

That's where I'd want to be too!

[DemoTex]

20. He was hoarse last night from the tube.

I thought he said something about a beer. I said, "Can you have a beer." Dad said, "I dunno if I "can", but I "am".

:rofl:

[latebloomer]

21. Sounds like an incredible guy!

and both of you are lucky to have each other.

Best wishes for his recovery and for more happy years together.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

23. Hell of a guy, your dad. War hero, family man, scientist and above all, a

:patriot:

My mom is in hospice right now with terminal colon cancer. When she got the diagnosis a few weeks ago, she said "You're not cutting me open now. I've had 86 good years and if it's time, it's time." She's getting comfort care and is still lucid and alert. It ain't an easy thing, though.

[Seldona]

25. Hope he kicks it's ass.

Sorry to hear it's back.

:cry:

[jesus_of_suburbia]

26. I love tough old people... I hope to be one someday!

I hope the best for your dad!

[Maru Kitteh]

28. A sense of normalcy can be VERY useful when staring down an MF'er of a disease.

I greatly admire your father, and wish all of you the best. I'll be putting my tomatoes in soon as well. May his garden be rich and his harvest taken in leisure.

[DFW]

29. Good for him!

My dad was the same way, lasted 11 months with pancreatic cancer, writing articles for his
paper right up to ten days before he died when the cancer left his too weak to hit the keys.

My dad never made it past 78, so hats off to your father for making it this long!